Creative Jam

CHALLENGE

Transition an in-person program to a virtual format, optimizing its structure to expand participation and frequency while maintaining the existing operational team size.

RESULTS

When I stepped into the Creative Jam program, it was a beloved but unsustainable initiative:  80+ shows a year with only 30 students participating in each, and a small team trying to keep pace. I knew the key to scaling wasn’t simply doing more, but building the systems that would allow the program to grow without burning out the people behind it.

I began by rethinking the structure. Instead of running these 80+ instances annually, we consolidated into them into 25 highly produced events (which is actually 50 shows since each event has 2 shows per) designed for maximum reach and impact. Participation grew from 30 students to 2,000, all without increasing team size. The shift created space to focus on quality, consistency, and brand experience.

To make this scale possible, I worked with the team to build formalized show structures that shortened planning time and ensured seamless execution. I recruited and trained a professional pool of judges, introducing a vetted scoring rubric that enabled fair, real-time scoring which reduced on-air time and elevating the experience for students and audiences alike.

On the operations side, I introduced systems that transformed the way the team worked. A RACI chart clarified responsibilities, eliminated confusion, and ensured accountability through team transitions. Airtable became our centralized hub, streamlining scheduling, deadline tracking, and progress monitoring. The impact was immediate: status meetings were cut in half, proofing rounds became twice as efficient, and each team member saved at least an hour a week.

I also invested in creating visibility across the program. By establishing a bird’s-eye view of the team’s workload, we not only improved our ability to manage the day-to-day but also strengthened our reporting on program effectiveness; something critical for building leadership confidence in the initiative.

Beyond systems, I leaned in as a host of the events themselves, ensuring continuity and quality in delivery. I also drove partner recruitment, securing collaborations with brands like Patagonia, HBO, Instagram, Airbnb, Netflix, and more. These partnerships elevated the program’s reach and credibility, bringing both resources and visibility to the student community.

By combining operational excellence with thoughtful experience design, Creative Jam transformed from a small-scale student showcase into a global program that reached thousands, delivered professional rigor, and built partnerships with some of the most influential brands in the world.